As a child growing up in a Korean-American household, I was interested in learning the Korean language and my mother taught me basic concepts, such as counting, and common phrases, like "Hello," "Good-bye," and "I love you.” I loved to read and found myself wishing I had books in Korean, but it seemed impossible to find any at our local bookstore or library. Now, as a parent, I still find there aren’t many options out there for Korean-learning children. With over 1.2 million Americans speaking Korean, I feel there ought to be easier access to quality bilingual books that teach the language.

I decided I wanted to create bilingual books my children would love and I dedicated every day to researching, writing, illustrating, and designing my very first Bilingual Learning book. When I was ready, I introduced it to my kids and they loved it!

I knew I wanted to publish this book and make it available to other families looking for Korean-English baby books. I discussed the idea with my husband, family, and friends and, after many months of hard work, I launched Aerilyn Books, which I named after my daughter. I have several titles in the works and continue to provide FREE bilingual content for kids on my social media pages (links below).

Why are bilingual and multicultural books important?

According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, the number of multicultural families in the U.S. is steadily increasing, and yet they are under-represented in children's literature, television, and movies. Representation of multicultural families and children in books and programs for children can strengthen and support a healthy multicultural identity, leading to happier and more confident individuals as they grow into adulthood.

Encouraging the education of heritage, culture, and language in young children has many benefits, including the development of a strong supportive community where diversity is recognized and celebrated. Bilingualism not only connects communities, studies have shown it can positively impact mental health and the younger a child is introduced to a second (or third) language, the easier it is for them to learn that language.

Language learning is fun, interactive, and brings us all a little closer together!

Why do we love books?

Family-reading is fundamental for developing a life long love of books and prepares your child for success later in life. Though we live in a world where e-books are gaining in popularity, there are many benefits to reading a physical book. Printed books offer children a tactile stimulation in the turning of pages, help to develop fine motor skills, and promote long term memory retention without the eye strain or headaches that can result from prolonged screen-time. Nothing beats a good old fashioned book!